Sweets on the streets as holidays near

Temporary vendor stalls will be concentrating on sweets and holiday merchandise this weekend. Photo: Facebook

An altar for Hanal Pixan needs sweets and flowers, and vendors are ready.

A Sweets Fair near the City Museum and the Portal de Granos will offer a variety of traditional treats, vegetables, banana leaves and holiday ornaments to mark the Day of the Dead until Nov. 2.

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La Feria del Dulce was previously carried out in the parque Eulogio Rosado, but has been moved this year to accommodate the crowds.

City market inspectors will patrol the fair to ensure vendors have the temporary permit that allows them to market their wares. They will be prohibited from setting up in other parks, including the Plaza Grande. But about established 40 traders in Lucas de Galvez and San Benito got temporary permission to expand their offerings to include holiday goods.

People who sell flowers in the markets will be allowed to set up shopkeeping in cemeteries from Oct. 30-Nov. 2.

A traditional altar requires several special things:

• Photos of deceased loved ones

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• Water or fruit punch is served to refresh a weary spirit

• Pan de muerto, or “bread of the dead,” a round sweetbread loaf topped with a skull or crossbones, found at most panaderías

• Salt, a symbol of purification

• The deceased’s favorite things, or foods

• Flowers, often marigolds, which grow and wilt quickly, reflecting the fleeting nature of life.